Having been skiing since age 5, the skiing experience is thrilling and there’s absolutely nothing like it: it’s the closest I imagine I’ll get to flying in this life. Part of the skiing experience includes riding gondolas, of which I’ve ridden my fair share. For those who are unfamiliar with ski/snowboarder terminology, a gondola is basically a closed bucket that brings riders to the top of the mountain.

It’s typically a 10-minute ride and us skiers and snowboarders love them, because it gives us a break and distraction from being outside in the cold. Gondolas also are the place for interacting, observing, and talking with the many characters that visit the mountain. Here are a few!

1. The ones who want to be your best friend

Where are you from? What brings you guys out here? You been here before? How are you enjoying the trails today? These people are chatterboxes and will ask you all sorts of questions, giving details of their lives as well. (Yeah, we come here every season! Snowbasin is our home away from home! We got a place here, really you should invest.) And then the 10-minute gondola ride will be over and you might catch a glimpse of them in the ski lodge dining hall later that day, but probably not. But hey, at least the ride went by quick!

2. The families

Making plans for dinner or complaining how their sisters went out and had too much fun last night and couldn’t make it out on the slopes today (not bitter at all), the comradery and conversation from the families is always good fun.

3. The ski-school rascals

They typically come in a big group with bright red or blue matching vests labeled, “Ski School.” My last gondola ride with ski school kids was 10 minutes of non-stop knock-knock jokes (Their instructor’s face said this wasn’t the first time). Only 15% of the jokes made some kind of sense, yet they were all hilarious to the kids. Constant giggles and laughter, it really taught me a thing about perspective and not taking life too seriously. Amusing and adorable, you’re lucky if you get seated with these young ones.

4. The ones with the maps

Trail map comes out of their pocket when the gondola door closes. These people either are first-timers who want to get familiar with the mountain trails, or ski/snowboard enthusiasts who want to make sure they’ve crossed off every trail on the map. Sometimes, they’ll ask you for your opinion on the difficulty of a certain trail, if it’s groomed, or the visibility. Be prepared.

5. The ones who speak their secret language

Okay, not actually a secret language, but it’s a language that everyone else in the gondola can’t understand. So the rest of us sit there, wondering, guessing their subject of conversation: Should they stop for lunch after this run or the next one? Is the spa trip worth the money? Thoughts on Maria’s new boyfriend? They could be gossiping about us and we wouldn’t even know.

6. The ones who get high on skiing & snowboarding

That run, the snow...That was awesome! Ah, let’s do it again. Shaking the snow off their gloves, the animated smiles radiating. They get high on the thrill of gliding, sliding, cruising down the slopes with their friends. Not limited by age or gender, these people are anyone who simply loves being on the mountain and shares the energy with others.

7. The ones whose lives belong in movies and books

If I had a pen and paper for all the times I heard stories from people whose lives sound like they belong in the movies and books, I’d be able to write some quite entertaining movie or television show scripts. For example, I recently overheard a conversation about a boy whose dad was adopted, because apparently his dad was an accident and his parents weren’t ready to care for a child. Then, his parents had kids after him but still reached out to their son who they gave up for adoption. Now, the kid's grandparents go to his soccer games and they all get dinner a few times a year as one happy family. Haven’t heard many adoption stories that turned out like this, have you?

8. The ones who do not speak

These people will normally just sit still and stare straight ahead without a sound. Either they are cold, not in the mood for talking, or observing the scene and people around them. Or all of the above. Don’t underestimate them. They’re all eyes and ears.

So, to my fellow skier and snowboarders, which of these people have you met and which have you been?